When should you use AI (artificial intelligence) in construction? What processes make the most sense? How can you deploy it across the lifecycle of a project? Let’s explore AI and how it has the potential to impact the construction industry today and, in the days, ahead.
The recent fourth annual construction technology report from ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors) suggests AI can and will impact multiple parts of the project lifecycle.
Let’s look at a few examples, starting with preconstruction. Here predicative analytics can analyze historical project data and current conditions to optimize construction schedules, resource allocation, and task sequencing. In preconstruction, AI can also help optimize design development and with contract review. It can also empower purchasing teams during the procurement process.
Of course, AI has the potential to be a workhorse during the construction process itself. Here at Constructech, we have explored how AI can impact project management. AI will improve the outcomes of project management tasks, including the ability to analyze data faster than humans and using those results to improve overall performance. At the jobsite, ABC suggests AI can help power autonomous equipment, do jobsite mapping, and enable computer vision and intelligent site monitoring.
Continuing through the lifecycle, we see AI can also play a role in building maintenance. Here AI can analyze energy usage patterns and optimize HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems to reduce energy consumption and overall costs. Predictive maintenance can also be used to identify when a piece of equipment will fail.
The benefits are myriad. In the ABC’s report, Dodge Construction Network suggests some of the top benefits of using technology include: seeing fewer safety incidents (81%), having increased productivity (49%), having more predictable project schedules (38%), and having staff that is more empowered to manage safety (35%).
Perhaps the biggest reason to turn to AI is not necessarily the benefits that it offers, but the fact that other businesses are also turning down this road, and AI will initially offer a competitive advantage and ultimately be a nonnegotiable on projects.
Still, there are challenges, which we have also addressed here on the blog. Some include limited skills and expertise, too much data complexity, ethical concerns, difficultly scaling and integrating, high price, and concerns around data security, just to name a few.
Leveraging AI is certainly no easy feat, but the time to explore AI is now. Don’t wait on the sidelines. Either AI will happen to you, or you will happen to AI. Which would you prefer?
Now that we have a better idea of the state of technology in the construction industry, next week let’s turn our attention to examples of AI at work in the construction industry today, so we have a better idea of how the use of technology is already unfolding in the space. And then, in our final week of the blog series we will look at how to craft a strategy for deploying AI in your own business and in your own projects. Stay tuned.
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